Brown students consistently rank among the happiest in the nation, so it's no surprise that when the senior class gift campaign rolls around, many soon-to-be graduates are glad to donate. But things aren't so nice and simple at some of Brown's peer institutions — a few of last year's seniors at Cornell and Dartmouth had their privacy violated during those schools' senior gift drives. Fortunately, seniors at Brown can rest assured that their decisions about whether and how much to give will be treated as private information.
According to a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, student volunteers assisting with the fundraising drives at both Cornell and Dartmouth were given lists of their peers who had not yet made a donation. The article notes that the holdouts were subjected to a barrage of calls and e-mails. At Cornell, at least one volunteer sent out a mass e-mail listing those students who had not yet contributed. And at Dartmouth, the lone holdout in the class of 1,123 students was called out by name in a popular blog for Dartmouth students.
The single student was criticized because the Dartmouth class of 1960 had promised to give $100,000 if the class of 2010 achieved a 100 percent donation rate, the Chronicle reported. (When the single student refused to give in, the class of 1960 ended up giving the money anyway). Frankly, we don't care how much in possible matching funds is at stake — it's wholly inappropriate to use public humiliation to pressure students into giving away their money. Both schools must put safeguards in place to prevent something like this from happening again.
Brown seniors do not need to worry about similar events transpiring here. Any volunteer working for the senior gift campaign who receives a list of donors to target must agree to a confidentiality statement, Tammie Ruda, executive director of annual giving, wrote in an e-mail to the editorial page board. Students who do choose to give money are recognized in an online publication that lists all individuals who have contributed to Brown in the previous year. But Ruda also noted that all donors have the option of giving anonymously. Finally, Ruda highlighted that students can opt to honor a particular individual with their donation, and these honorees are mentioned in The Herald's commencement issue.
We're pleased to hear that Brown's senior gift campaign is conducted with respect and dignity. For those students who feel great about their four years here — and we know there are many — the senior class gift presents a fantastic opportunity to express one's appreciation.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials (at) browndailyherald.com.
